Corruption, crime and politics

Corruption, crime and politics

— Dwaipayan

There is a famous adage, “Politics is an art of the possible”. It means that our political leaders can manage all affairs in a country/a federating unit where they do politics in such a fashion in order that they can accomplish any arduous job for the well-being of people without any hiccup or almost effortlessly. In other words, they, especially those at the helm of affairs, can use politics as a means to create a people-friendly ambience for all-round development of a region weathering away all the storms, no matter how severe and devastating they might be.In a democratic country like ours, they are generally expected to commit themselves to the task of addressing and solving various problems facing the people on priority basis simply because they are our elected representatives. But, the crucial question that needs to be answered is how many of them have the sense of responsibility or are conscious of their duties and responsibilities, and believe in values-based politics, democratic principles and ideals or are committed to work for the service of the people selflessly. Arguably, in our political system, today, such quality leaders in the present generation are, in fact, difficult to find who are known to be samaritans and devoted to constructive politics or highly revered for their performance, integrity and probity in public life.What is however, disgusting is the dubious role of some politicians. This gets well-exposed, on some special occasions. During electioneering, for example, the same set of politicians would try all they can to woo or, wean away voters from other parties. In trying to do so, they would dish out among the public their party poll-manifestos and literatures in which they make lofty promises of providing them clean and corruption-free administration, solving burgeoning unemployment, and of an accelerated economic growth and so on. But the problem is with the unassuming among the electorate who do actually account for a major chunk of them and who easily do not understand the intricacies of today’s intensively competitive politics. They blindly believe or, feel content in what they pledge, and vote them during election. Once the leaders of their choice get elected and in the saddle, they conveniently forget them all and indulge in immoral activities such as corruption, hair-raising political killings, vote-purchase to save a minority government etc, thus throwing to the wind all the democratic principles and values. In fact, they after testing power, become so much involved in all these activities criminalising politics, for personal gains that they never bother that such acts may lead them nowhere, that the developments can blight their political career or the future of the government, of which, they are the members. Nor do they deeply think about the fact that their complicity can slow down the pace of development in a constituency they represent.What is ominous and has posed threats to our party system and democracy is that our politics, be it national or regional whatsoever, is today dominated more by egotism than by modesty. The reasons is all too evident: the entry of ever-growing numbers of such elements into politics with criminal backgrounds possible due to the encouragement of the senior leaders. This has not just helped to carry on with their illegal activities but also saved many of them on many occasions from being arrested. Indeed, there are exceptions; and one of the exceptions was Pakhi Miyan, a notorious drugs peddler, who was allegedly involved in several murder cases, including that of killing of one revenue intelligence officer Tarun Dutta in Guwahati itself in 2006. Dutta in Guwahati itself in 2006. But, what is surprising is that despite his having criminal records as evident in his involvement in drugs smuggling and murder cases in which he had been wanted, Miyan whose real name is Samsul Haq Talukdar, was offered the opportunity to join politics. Miyan it seems, found it a good option to not only hush up his unlawful activities and evade arrest but also increase his clout. So, he joined it, and contested the Assembly polls in 2006 on an NCP ticket. But his political connections were of no avail. He was finally arrested by West Bengal Police a few weeks ago.However, what is possibly of serious concern to the people is when they find a report in a newspaper hitting a banner, headline of their popular leader now say, a minister in the union or a state cabinet offering bribe to so and so persons of a political party to garner votes to save his government facing a no-confidence motion, or, to an investigating agency, presumably to hush up a murder case or found involved in the murder of a policeman, or in financial scams. All these unsavoury developments, as one is aware of do not augur well for our party system; even them, crime and corruption are continuing on the same wavelength unbridled.In the past couple of years, it has been observed that a number of ministers both at the Centre and in the States were involved in or, charged with illegal activities which brings into sharp focus the extent to which they have gone to serve their ulterior motive. But they seldom considered that these developments, of their own creation, could dilute the image of their parties they represent and dim their political future. Ironically, today the ministers of their ilk are available in almost all parties.However, first think of the latest case of Jamuna Nishad, the junior Fishery Minister in the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh. He was sacked by Mayavati on June 8 after he raided a police station at Lucknow the previous night with his supporters who allegedly shot a constable dead. It all happened following the refusal of the cops to register a rape case against a leader from Maharajganj who is opposed to the ruling BSP of which Nishad is an MLA. They claimed that the medical report did not substantiate the victim’s allegation. Dissatisfied with their reply, the 48-year old Nishad alleged that the police were trying to shield the accused.An FIR has been registered against him and more than 50 of his supporters. He has been charged with murder, unlawful Assembly, violating Arms Act, rioting and keeping government servants from discharing their duty. Arguably, Nishad is a branded man as is evident in his crime graph. In fact, there are at present half a dozen cases against him, of abduction, extortion, intimidation and attempt to murder. But, in spite of his having strong criminal background, the people of Uttar Pradesh, have ironically, made him MLA and the Chief Minister Mayawati one of her ministers.Incidentally, he is the second minister to be axed after being implicated in the sad demise of the cop. Earlier, on June 3, Assam Education Minister Ripun Bora was sacked for allegedly offering a CBI official Rs 10 lakh to hush up murder case. All these events are themselves a pointer to how fast politics in the States are getting criminalised.Not that only State-level MLAs and ministers are involved in criminal acts and corruption. Records have it that sometimes some Central ministers are even seen or heard being charged with murder or taking or offering someone kickback for husting up a scam or even being involved in financial swindle irrespective of their ideology, and, of the fact that it will not just negate the very spirit of the democratic process of election but also tarnish the image of the ruling party in the eyes of the public. Take up, for instance, the case of Shibu Soren, the Union Coal Minister. He was charged with murder of his own private secretary Sashinath Jha.Corruption and crime today have become so widespread that unless steps are taken to prevent their upward trend, people will lose faith in the political system. An indication of which is found in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections’ results in the recent times which have only yielded a fractured mandate or hung House with none of the major national/regional political parties succeeding to notch up even a razor-thin majority on its own, its projection of some prominent leader as a Chief Ministerial or Prime Ministerial candidate during the campaign notwithstanding.Since in a democracy like ours, electors are the only source of political power, they should at any cost be taken into account. In a word, their confidence in administration should be kept up. This can be possible through three options. First, mandatory declaration of details of assets by political leaders irrespective of their party affiliations. Second, denying tickets to all those who have criminal backgrounds. Third, enforcing strict discipline among MLAs and ministers through the occurring code of conduct. Going by the flurry of political activities as reported in the newspapers, in the state Congress camp since the Ripun Bora episode, the party new scenly resolute in its decision not to give nomination to any person, with criminal charges in any election. Undoubtedly, it is a good decision which, if implemented, will help a lot in repairing the damage done to it by such a person, with criminal records. Source: assam tribune